UE assisted system database update

ABSTRACT

A user equipment (UE) operating in a wireless system having at least one base station, communicates with base stations in neighboring wireless systems and conveys information regarding these neighboring wireless systems to the base station of its wireless system, which updates and stores this information for use in handover of UEs. The BS may also obtain updates directly from the base stations of neighboring wireless systems which may include a diversity of systems such as WLANS, Bluetooth, UMTS, GPRS, etc., and provide to UEs a list of those wireless systems which the UEs need not provide updates to the BS providing the list.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisionalapplication No. 60/392,211 filed on Jun. 28, 2002, which is incorporatedby reference as if fully set forth.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to wireless communication systems.In particular, the invention relates to database processing ofinformation for user equipment (UE) handover.

BACKGROUND

[0003] User equipment (UE) in wireless communication systems arebeginning to provide functionality for internet/public service telephonenetwork (PSTN) access via multiple wireless systems (such as (WLANs),Bluetooth® a registered trademark for a wireless network, universalmobile telecommunications system (UMTS), general packet radio service(GPRS), etc.). Hence, there is a growing need for these systems to workwith each other in order for a UE to handover from one technology toanother.

[0004] To assist in a handover, a wireless communication system basestation can relay to a UE the information pertaining to outside systems.Thus, a base station needs to retain and constantly update informationabout the other systems. Retrieval of the information about anothersystem is possible through secure inter-system connections (such as viaan IP-cloud, for example) under roaming agreements. However, it is adeployment challenge to maintain and update such information about othersystems. Hence there is a need for an alternate source to assist thebase station in supplying the outside system information in order toeliminate the need for explicit inter-system connections andcommunications for this purpose.

SUMMARY

[0005] The present invention employs a technique for obtaining andupdating data relating to neighboring wireless systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0006]FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram showing a plurality of wirelesssystems and user equipments within the wireless systems, which mayemploy the technique and principles of the present invention to greatadvantage.

[0007]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram useful in explaining the principles ofthe present invention and a method to implement such a system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008]FIG. 1 shows a multimode UE 101 operating within a wireless system102 having an associated base station (BS) 102 b, while also being ableto detect multiple surrounding wireless systems 103-105. Upon detectionof information from wireless systems 103-105, UE 101 sends the currentinformation to BS 102 b of system or systems 103-105. BS 102 b can thenupdate its database based on this new information from UE 101. Likewise,subsequent handovers of UE 101 to other base stations can provide basestation database updates. For example, after handover to wireless system103, UE 101 sends information pertaining to the most recently residentsystem (i.e., system 102), to base station(BS) 103 b, which then updatesits database accordingly.

[0009]FIG. 2 shows a process flow diagram for the exchange ofinformation between BS 102 b and UE 101. Although this process is shownwith a single UE for simplicity in explanation, multiple UEs mayinteract with BS 102 b at the same time. System information that is sentfrom a UE to the BS and vice versa may include, but is not limited to:geo-location of a UE, new system, congestion at the network and failureto detect a network.

[0010] At UE-S1, UE 101 obtains information relating to network 104, forexample. At step UE-S2, UE 101 transmits its identity to BS 102 b. Atstep BS-S1, BS 102 b receives the identify of UE 101. At BS-S2 BS 102first authenticates the identity of UE 101. This ensures that BS 102 bwill not accept information about other systems from malicious UEs.Next, at step UE-S2, responsive to the authentication, the informationis protectively encoded for integrity by UE 101 and, at step UE-S3, theprotected information is transmitted by UE 101 to BS 102 b. A preferredmethod of protective encoding is via message authentication codes.Encryption may also be used to protect the information from beingeavesdropped. At step BS-S3, BS 102 b verifies the integrity of theinformation. At step BS-S4, BS 102 b accepts the information and updatesits databases. Now that BS 102 b has updated its database, BS 102 b, atstep BS-S5, may communicate with adjacent systems 103-105 at regularintervals or triggered instants of time to validate the informationupdates received from UE 101. Corrections to the database, if needed aremade at step BS-S6.

[0011] System efficiency can be gained by BS 102 b taking a proactiverole in letting UE 101 know of its surrounding systems, at step BS-S7.Hence, UE 101 need not send any information if its resident system is onthe list provided by BS 102 b. This reduces radio traffic due tomultiple UEs sending similar information.

[0012] This database stored in each BS is used for cell re-planning andsystem layover during deployment of additional networks. For example,consider a UMTS system overlaid over disjointed WLANs. The informationgathered at the UMTS base station is used for planning WLAN network inthat area. System 102 gets geo-locations of different UEs as theycommunicate about other systems (say System 103). The operator can usethe geo-location of each UE that reported about system 103 toapproximate the coverage of system 103. This approximate coverage areacan be used to plug coverage holes or future deployment planning ofsystem 103.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a wireless communication system having a basestation (BS) and at least one user equipment (UE), a method for updatinga system database that contains information pertaining to neighboringwireless systems of various types, the method comprising: the UEdetecting neighboring wireless systems of various types; the UE sendinginformation detected systems to the base station; and said BS updatingthe system database information based on said information.
 2. The methodof claim 1, where the UE detects a neighboring wireless system having adifferent radio access technology.
 3. The method of claim 1, where theUE detects a neighboring wireless system in a different location area ofthe same wireless system.
 4. The method of claim 2, where the UE detectsa neighboring wireless system which provides coverage overlappingcoverage of the wireless communication system of said BS.
 5. The methodof claim 4 wherein the UE detects a system whose coverage is partiallyoverlapping.
 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the UE detects a systemwhose coverage is fully overlapping.
 7. The method of claim 2, where theUE detects a neighboring wireless system providing coverage which doesnot overlap coverage of the wireless communication system of said BS. 8.The method of claim 1, where said UE sends information which includes alocation of at least one base station of a neighboring wireless system.9. The method of claim 1, where said UE sends information which includestraffic loading of said other wireless system.
 10. The method of claim 1wherein said UE communicates with systems having different radio accesstechnology.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the UE provides the BSwith information including radio access technology of other wirelesssystems.
 12. The method of claim 1, where said UE sends informationwhich includes signal power levels of the said other wireless system.13. The method of claim 1, where said UE sends information whichincludes a geo-location of the UE.
 14. The method of claim 1, where saidUE sends information which includes a geo-location of the UE as well asother UEs.
 15. The method of claim 1, where the UE sends the informationresponsive to being authenticated by the BS.
 16. The method of claim 1,where the UE sends the information together with a messageauthentication code;
 17. The method of claim 1, where the UE encryptsinformation sent to the BS.
 18. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: the base station of the system communicating with basestations of adjacent wireless systems at given intervals to validate thedatabase information updates provided by the UE.
 19. The method of claim1, further comprising: the base station alerting the UE as tosurrounding systems known by the base station for reducing traffic dueto multiple UEs sending similar information.
 20. The method of claim 19wherein the receiving UE limits reports on neighboring base stations tothose base stations that are not included in the alert received from itsassociated base station.
 21. The method of claim 1, where the basestation processes the location of the UEs reporting information aboutneighboring wireless systems of various types to estimate coverage ofthe neighboring wireless systems.
 22. The method of claim 21, where thebase station uses the estimated coverage of the neighboring wirelesssystem to adjust operating parameters at the base station.
 23. Themethod of claim 22, where the said operating parameters include at leastone of transmitted power, beam shapes and admission control policy. 24.The method of claim 21, where the base station uses estimated coveragefor planning new cells.
 25. In a wireless communication system having abase station (BS) and at least one UE, in which the UE can detectsurrounding wireless systems of various types, a method for updating thesystem database that contains information pertaining to surroundingwireless systems of various types, the method comprising: the basestation obtaining updates of neighboring wireless systems from UEs andbase stations of neighboring wireless systems; the BS updating itsdatabase information; and the BS sending a report to UEs that theyshould not provide update information for wireless systems on said list.26. In a wireless communication system having a base station (BS) and atleast one UE, in which the UE can detect surrounding wireless systems ofvarious types, for updating a system database that contains informationpertaining to surrounding wireless systems of various types, comprising:said BS having means for authenticating an identity of the UE by thebase station; the UE having means for protectively encoding theinformation transmitted to the BS for information integrity usingauthentication codes; means for verifying information integrity at thebase station and accepting the information at the base station; andmeans for updating the system database information.
 27. The system ofclaim 26, further comprising: the base station having mean forcommunicating with base stations of surrounding wireless systems atgiven intervals to validate the database information updates provided bythe UE.
 28. The system of claim 26, further comprising: the base stationhaving means for alerting the UE as to surrounding systems known by thebase station for reducing traffic due to multiple UEs sending similarinformation.
 29. The system of claim 28 wherein the receiving UE isprovided with means which limits reports on neighboring base stations tothose base stations that are not included in the alert received from itsassociated base station.
 30. In a wireless communication system having abase station (BS) and at least one UE, in which the UE can detectsurrounding wireless systems of various types, for updating the systemdatabase that contains information pertaining to surrounding wirelesssystems of various types, comprising: the base station having: means forobtaining updates of neighboring wireless systems from UEs and basestations of neighboring wireless systems; means for updating itsdatabase information; and means for sending a list to UEs that theyshould not provide update information for wireless systems on said list.